Android 3.1 software update rolling out now for Motorola Xoom WiFi

When the Android 3.1 update was announced for the 3G enabled Motorola Xoom, some WiFi only Xoom owners were a little upset at having to wait, even if only a little bit. However, some actually received the update that day despite Motorola stating it would be happening in the coming weeks. And now, Motorola has announced that the Android 3.1 update is slowly being rolled out in phases. If you already received it -- awesome (and snag the manual download location)! If not, sit tight and take satisfaction in knowing it's coming sooner rather than later.

Let the bidding wars begin! Since Samsung handed out those Google IO 2011 editions of their hotly-anticipated Galaxy Tab 10.1 yesterday, eBay has been flooded with the tablet, with sellers capitalizing on its exclusivity. Don’t expect a bargain: we saw some of the tabs pushing four digits by this morning, with lots of time left to bid. If you absolutely must have this edition (admit it—it's pretty darn cool), hit the source link for what eBay has to offer. And if you just can’t justify that limited-edition pricing, we’ll see you in line on June 8.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 gets quick, easy root

News is quickly spreading that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 units given away to Google IO attendees yesterday are completely unlocked and ripe for all sorts of hackery, including quick and easy rooting. If you're among the lucky few to have your hands on one of these desirable devices, all you need to do to gain root access is push a zip file over ADB, reboot into recovery mode and run your newly-transferred file.

That's it -- no trickery or black magic, just a few lines at a command prompt and your Tab is rooted. Hit the source link for the download, along with full step-by-step instructions. We'll be crossing our fingers over the next month, and hoping that retail units are just as developer-friendly as the devices handed out at IO.

Support for the new Android Market movie rentals service with thousands of titles available for immediate viewing on the Motorola XOOM’s high-resolution display or on a larger screen via HDMI

Full support for the final release of Adobe® Flash® Player 10.2, delivering significant performance enhancements when viewing rich Flash content on the web

Resizable widgets to enable further customization of home screens

Support for USB-connected peripherals and accessories, such as keyboards, mice, game controllers and digital cameras

Expanded Bluetooth features to support Bluetooth headsets in Google Talk™ video chats and Bluetooth mouse support in addition to additional shortcut keys with the Bluetooth keyboard

Picture Transfer Protocol Feature support to enable easier transfer of photo files to your PC without the need for drivers

While some have already received the update, Motorola says that the new and improved Honeycomb will be rolling out to Verizon customers throughout the week, with the WiFi version and “other variants” of the Xoom receiving the update “in the next few weeks.” Hit the source link for Motorola’s official press release.

Now you can relive the excitement and catch up on any details you might've missed, as Google has just uploaded a full video of the I/O 2011 day one keynote to YouTube. The keynote runs for 54 minutes, and is available for your viewing pleasure after the jump.

Android 3.1 update now rolling out to Verizon Xoom 3G owners

We held off a little bit after the announcement came out just to see how exactly how long it would take for Verizon and Google to roll out the Android 3.1 Honeycomb update slated for "today". As it turns, it really wasn't all that long -- many users have now let us know their Motorola Xoom updates have gone live and while some folks are still waiting, we've heard it may be rolling out in batches so you'll just have to sit tight.

In the meantime though, feel free to shout out in the Android Central forums if you got your update. We, and I'm sure plenty of others -- are pretty stoked to hear how the update is working. If you're looking for the direct download link, you can find it here.

Hands-on with the Google IO special-edition Galaxy Tab 10.1

A wise old editor once said "Google IO isn't just about the swag." And it's not just about the swag. But it's sometime about the swag. And right now it's about the swag.

Everybody at Google IO (including use lowly press members) got themselves a Google IO special-edition Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 today. We've used the thing a good half-dozen times now, and it's getting better every time we pick it up.

Light, sleek and fast, if you gave us just three words. And with the addition of the special Android imagery, this one's pretty sweet.

Samsung passes out 5,000 Galaxy Tab 10.1s to I/O attendees

If you were lucky enough to score a ticket to this year's Google I/O in San Francisco, you'll be going home with a brand-spanking-new Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1. As for those of us who didn't -- we'll, you can just be jealous. The Honeycomb powered device is not available to consumers yet, but we've played with a few times already at this point. At last year's Google I/O, HTC and Google linked up to give out tons of new EVOs.

Oh yeah, did we mention that Jerry and Phil are at Google I/O? It looks like they just got a new toy and of course, some work ahead of them in giving us all the finer details of the device. See -- swag does come at a price.

Samsung reminds us all the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is coming June 8

Although it's been quite some time since we heard rumblings from Samsung about the Galaxy Tab 10.1 it appears their marketing teams are now looking to once again shake up interest in the 10.1-inch tablet. The registration page is up on the Samsung website, accessible to anyone who is looking to stay up-to-date on the when and where's of how to purchase the yet to be released Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 that hits stores June 8.

Wifi Motorola Xooms show up at Target

From the looks of the image above, it appears as though Target will begin selling the Wifi-only version of the Motorola Xoom tablet in the coming days. Functional displays have hit some stores already, and inventory is rolling in, so it looks like we can add Target to the list of places where you'll be able to snag yourself a Xoom.

Sprint Wifi Motorola Xoom and Samsung Replenish now available

If you've been anxiously awaiting the Sprint-branded Motorola Xoom, today is your lucky day. The device is now officially available from Sprint, but does require you to actually go into a Sprint store for purchase. So, if you have been saving your $600 for the purchase, head into your local Sprint store today, and be sure to let us know what you think in the forums! Also available today from Sprint is the Samsung Replenish, their first "green" phone, which we have gone over once or twice already.

Loving the Dinc 2, Tether app discussion [from the forums]

It's Monday and that means back to work -- where the Internet is fast, and free. Mondays are also always big for news and discussion, and today is no exception. We've got a new kernel for the Xoom, Tethering discussion, and love for the Dinc 2. there's something for everyone in the forums, so get in there and join the fun.

Galaxy S II live wallpapers now available to download

The Galaxy S II live wallpapers to download. These include the beach and the windmill wallpapers and the apk files are named Secret Wallpaper 1 and Secret Wallpaper 2, respectively.

The XDA poster did note that these will only work on phones with WVGA resolution. In the video showing this off, the wallpapers can clearly be seen working well on a Samsung Nexus S and the EVO 4G has been successfully tested as well. The Motorola Xoom doesn't run them well yet as they most likely haven't been optimized for Honeycomb.

Check it out after the break and click on the source link for the apk files.

This Week in Android News

It was a busy week in the Android world and here at Android Central as we got ahold of a variety of new devices, two of which have been officially released. The Droid Incredible 2 and the Casio G'zOne Commando were released on Verizon last week. The Droid Charge was supposed to join them, but was delayed due to LTE issues. We also got a good look at the Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc and ASUS EeePad Transformer. There are loads of exciting devices hitting stored and coming soon, so check out our initial reviews for the one that suits you best.